Amplitudes of surface waves and magnitudes of shallow earthquakes*

1945/01/01 by B. Gutenberg · 14 citations
Engineering · Earth and Planetary Sciences · Computer Science · Mathematics · #Geophysics and Sensor Technology #Seismic Waves and Analysis #Seismology and Earthquake Studies #Amplitude #Geology #Seismogram #Seismology #Refraction #Tangent #Reflection (computer programming) #Table (database) #Boundary (topology) #Magnitude (astronomy) #Surface wave #Geodesy #Physics #Geometry #Optics #Mathematics #Mathematical analysis

paper · doi:10.1785/bssa0350010003

openalex publication_date 1945/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

Summary. A study of amplitudes of surface waves having periods of about 20 seconds is employed to improve the calculation of magnitudes of distant shallow earthquakes. Table 3 gives station corrections; table 4, revised figures for the effect of epicentral distance. It is found that for epicentral distances between about 20° and 175° the average observed amplitudes correspond closely to those calculated with an absorption coefficient k = 0.0003 per km. For paths completely outside or inside the Pacific Basin, k = 0.0002± per km., while for paths tangent to its boundary the amplitudes of surface waves with periods of about 20 seconds may be reduced by two-thirds or more (in extreme cases by almost nine-tenths) through reflection or refraction of energy; such seismograms of shallow shocks may be taken as indicating intermediate depth of focus.

Citations

• An instrumental earthquake magnitude scale*

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